Don Yenko's Racing plans

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

In reading a September 24, 1970 vintage newspaper interview article from Maryland, Don reveals that he's excited about the Yenko Deuce project, among others, and that he wishes to retire from racing, but was offered a ride. What ride was he offered? JoeC??

Here's the entire article:

THE NEWS, Frederick, Maryland
SPOTLIGHT ON SPEED With Don Haines
Thursday, September 24, 1970


DON YENKO OF Canonsburg, Pa. is well known as a race driver, a Chevrolet dealer, a dealer in high performance parts and a manufacturer or rather remanufacturer of specialty cars. Several years ago Yenko modified the Corvair renaming it the Yenko Stinger.

I had dinner with Don last Saturday night and asked him about his plans. He said he had planned to retire from racing, but had been offered a ride so he'll probably be racing for the awhile longer.

At present, Yenko is marketing a Chevy Nova called the Yenko Deuce. He has plans to rework the new Chevy Vega. Plans call for restyling the hatchback coupe along the lines of the Ferrari Dino sports car. Frosting on the cake will be engine and suspension modifications to make it perform a little better than stock. They have been working on a four barrel carburator for the little four cylinder.

[bsim]

That could have been the Dunlop deal that ultimately fell through?

[JoeC]

Don ran some SCCA races in 71 but in that article he was probably talking about 1971 IMSA GT racing. IMSA had a new six race program that was promoted as a GTO Corvette vs GTU Porsche battle. Some were long races requiring a driver change. Don was co-driver for the Dave Heinz car and Bill Schumacher car. Heinz was the top Corvette team and won its class and Don and Dave won the Daytona race. Don was 3rd in driver points for 1971. The Heinz Corvette is the car no. 57 well known Corvette race car with the wild rebel flag paint job.
here is a picture of Don getting in the car at Daytona.
Under the pic is a Heinz racing shirt that is from the Yenko estate.
If Don was here he could have said "been there...done that....and got the tee shirt.....

[JoeC]

Brad, I am not sure of a Dunlop deal or do you mean BFG tire? Don drove one of the BFG Corvettes